I have a 1985 F150 XLT Lariet (never could spell that right), it has the
twins tanks, 302 V8, air, power....the works..

now that ya'll know the details, the problem..I recently rebuilt the
engine and i've managed to remember where everything else goes, except the
stater (stader?) wire that comes off the back of the altenator. The
mechanics at the local ford dealership say it goes to the choke heater,
but i'm not seeing that..the book says the same..(the plugs dont match up
right)

If one of ya'll has a 150 like mine, think you could maybe go take an
eyeball under the hood and follow the wire and maybe give me a descriptive
explanation on where it runs off to?

Heck yes we need a magazine! To cover the whole picture of Ford trucks, =
we
have four discussion lists, a club, and an extensive web site with links =
to
many more. I wonder if the whole Internet FTE picture can be hooked to a=

magazine, the way Yahoo is? And the charter subscription gift can be a C=
alvin
decal with an assortment of logos to p#*s on.

Just this last weekend I went to leave from a shopping centre parking lot
only to find I was being held back by something. After a couple of attempts
at driving away, I realized my brakes were dragging. Crawled under the box
and checked the emergency brake cables. Sure enough, one of the two going
to the rear wheels wasn't being retracted by the springs on the brake
shoes. I grabbed the stuck cable and gave it a good shake. It released and
I was able to get home.

Once home, I popped the wheel and brake drum off for a look. The backing
plate is all wet with rearend fluid. It looks to me what happened is the
lubricant leaked down onto the emergency brake cable, was drawn into the
cable, and caused the plastic coating that surrounds the cable to
expand/disolve and bind.

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

Right now its looking like I'm going to have to pull the axle, replace the
seal, and install a new emergency brake cable. I'm thinking that I'll
probably need to replace the wheel bearing if its a sealed unit, because
the grease will have probably been washed out.

I've played around with 9" rearends before and the axles just pull out once
you remove the four bolts on the backing plate. From what I've gathered
from surfing the net, it ain't so easy with the 8.8 rearend. There is
supposedly a c-clip holding each axle in. Is this true? I've also read that
the wheel bearings on the 8.8 ride on the axle itself.

Anyway, just looking for some insight into how to deal with this problem.

Well, I fixed a few things, and as usual fixing several things at once, I can't
say exactly which one (or even which combination) actually solved the problem.

I believe that leaning out the idle mixture, lowering the idle rpm, and fixing
an odd choke problem made the difference.

When the first test was done, I had the idle mixture screws turned out exactly 4
turns. I set them both to 3 turns out w/ not much change in idle quality, so
they were probably set a little too rich. I then adjusted the throttle
positioner to get idle speed down to an indicated 600 rpm on my "el cheapo"
SunPro mini tach in the dash. The "test" indicated idle speed was a lot lower
(down from 1177 on the 1st test to 739 on the 2nd test).

The first thing I saw when I opened up the air cleaner was that the choke plate
was about 30 degrees from vertical w/ engine up to operating temps and ambient
air temp over 90 degrees! After fiddling w/ the linkage to find the cause of
the problem, it turned out that the external spring on the choke pull-down unit
was fighting the bi-metallic thermostat and keeping the choke from fully
opening.

I took off the pull-down unit and removed the external spring to prevent that
problem and when re-installing the pull down unit, I snapped off the screw that
attaches it to the rear of the carb throttle body :-(. To get around that
temporarily, I plugged off the vacuum source for the pull-down and removed the
link between the pull-down and the rest of the choke linkages so it won't bind
or jam up. Sometime before this winter, I'll have to remove the carb and get
the broken screws out of the body so I have a working choke pull-down again. At
least the choke's working correctly for now.

While I was under the hood, I replaced the fuel pump and, of course, since the
old flare nut was frozen in the pump inlet fitting, I had to cut off the hard
line to get the old pump out and then make a new line for the new pump. Even w/
a tubing bender, getting the fuel line bent to the correct routing is a
time-consuming, iterative process. Most of the time I spent on the entire
project was getting the new fuel line bent.

While I was at it, I crawled under the truck (didn't even have to jack it up)
and replaced all the rubber lines from the front tank to the fuel pump and all
the lines on the fuel tank switch valve. Now the only rubber fuel line I
haven't replaced is the line from the rear tank to the hard line. I'll have to
drop the rear fuel tank to get to that one, so it's a future project. I also
replaced all the rubber hoses for the evaporative emissions system fuel tank
vents, except for the rear tank.

Once again, I am confused by the test results. Even though CO was down
dramatically at idle and cut by half at high rpm, the HC is up. The HC limit is
400 ppm, so my truck is still well w/in the legal limit, but I don't understand
why HC is up.

As for the temp gauge/thermostat problem, it turns out that the wire for the
temp sending unit is bad. I can jiggle it to get the temp gauge working, so
replacing that is yet another project.

Thanks to all the guys that replied both personally and on the list w/ helpful
suggestions.

Well, that truck that I complain about so much is giving me more trouble. Last
night I was just driving around town with just the regular vent on, not the a/c.
The Temp gauge just shot up all of the sudden. I cranked the heat on full, and
it just went up further. I pulled over for half an hour to let it cool down,
and it was fine, just a little warm on the way home. I just went out and
checked everything (oil, antifreeze, hoses, etc..) and it all seems fine, but
when I started it, it really sounded bad till it came down off step. It's due
for an oil change soon, but that shouldn't cause it. Any ideas?

anyone found a product to make your tires black but not attract dust??
whenever i put it on when i drive down a dirt road( which i live on) it
makes the tires totally dusty. not even worth putting it on most of the
time.

>I've played around with 9" rearends before and the axles just pull out once
>you remove the four bolts on the backing plate. From what I've gathered
>from surfing the net, it ain't so easy with the 8.8 rearend. There is
>supposedly a c-clip holding each axle in. Is this true? I've also read that
>the wheel bearings on the 8.8 ride on the axle itself.

On the 8.8"s, there is a c-clip holding in each axle shaft. You have to break the pumpkin open, remove bolt that retains a large metal pin inbetween the axle shaft ends, remove the pin, and then, push the axle
towards the center of the vehicle, and remove the c-clip. The bearing and seal are held in the axle housing, the axle slides right out after the c-clip removal. I used a slide hammer puller to remove both the seal and
the bearing, and then used a 34mm socket to drive in the new bearing and seal. Slide the axle back in, replace the c-clip, pull the axle back towards the outside of the vehicle, to seat the c-clip, replace the retaining
pin, and usually a new retaining pin bolt with Loctite on the threads. Some axles don't require this, mine had a small six-point head, and required replacement per the shop manual. I've found that NAPA carries a bolt
for a GM rear end that fits, and comes pre-covered with Loctite. Re-seal the cover with blue silicone, refill pumpkin. I've done it twice now, its that difficult, just rather messy because of the gear oil.

I just recently replace the axle seals on my Bronco due to the same problem.
Of course mine were leaking fluid all over the brake lining, making stopping
the truck difficult. Removing the axle shafts on an 8.8" is not too
difficult (unless you have a Lock-Rite like I do in which case it sucks),
just messy since you need to drop the diff. cover.
Once you have the diff cover off, rotate the carrier until the end of the
carrier pin with the retaining bolt is facing you. remove the retaining
bolt (carefully so you don't brake it off like I did...) and the carrier pin
will slide out. Then (the wheels should be off first), give the axle shaft
a tap inward to unseat the c-clip and pull them off. The axle shaft will
then slide right out.

>Hello all.
>
>Just this last weekend I went to leave from a shopping centre parking lot
>only to find I was being held back by something. After a couple of attempts
>at driving away, I realized my brakes were dragging. Crawled under the box
>and checked the emergency brake cables. Sure enough, one of the two going
>to the rear wheels wasn't being retracted by the springs on the brake
>shoes. I grabbed the stuck cable and gave it a good shake. It released and
>I was able to get home.
>
>Once home, I popped the wheel and brake drum off for a look. The backing
>plate is all wet with rearend fluid. It looks to me what happened is the
>lubricant leaked down onto the emergency brake cable, was drawn into the
>cable, and caused the plastic coating that surrounds the cable to
>expand/disolve and bind.
>
>Does this sound familiar to anyone?
>
>Right now its looking like I'm going to have to pull the axle, replace the
>seal, and install a new emergency brake cable. I'm thinking that I'll
>probably need to replace the wheel bearing if its a sealed unit, because
>the grease will have probably been washed out.
>
>I've played around with 9" rearends before and the axles just pull out once
>you remove the four bolts on the backing plate. From what I've gathered
>from surfing the net, it ain't so easy with the 8.8 rearend. There is
>supposedly a c-clip holding each axle in. Is this true? I've also read that
>the wheel bearings on the 8.8 ride on the axle itself.
>
>Anyway, just looking for some insight into how to deal with this problem.
>
>Cheers,
>
>
>
>== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

Gang,
I know that Truckin' Magazine puts out a Ford truck specific magazine once a
year. I am an avid mag subscriber ( currently get 10 subscriptions a month)
and I have yet to see or hear of any other magazine catering just to us. I
have checked with McMullen/Argus, PRIMEDIA (which just bought McMullen/Argus)
and several others to try and track one down...no luck. Hope we can spur
someone into making one. Maybe you entrepreneurs can contact Gary Pratt who
writes the Ford Folio articles in Truckin. He would be a prime candidate for
magazine running info. I believe his email address is Folio4ever aol.com.
Lets get this rolling!!!!
Later
Wayne Foy
'94 Flareside SC
Wayne's Page
== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

The thing runs strong and uses no oil. No noises or other
indicators that
anything has gone wrong but...

The oil goes black after about 1400 miles. It's just dirty. No
water or
gas in it. I had the same problem before the engine was rebuilt.

My expereinces is that this is normal for an engine using gasoline, as a
matter of fact several hundred miles is probably more the norm.

Allow me to start something;

If you really want to keep the oil cleaner looking even after 3000-4000
miles so that it is brown in color instead of solid black, do what I do and
burn LPG (propane) just about 100% of the time. I can drain my oil around
the recommended period and it is brown in color. However if I use a lot of
gasoline (which has a far more complex hydrocarbon molecules) then it drains
out black. I know my engine (1995 302) is running properly and maintained as
it should with 149,000 miles so far.

Because propane has a much simpler hydrocarbon molecule and assuming it is
at least 85-90% propane (add a little methane, butane and what-not) the
inside of the engine stays relatively clean when compared to a gasoline
burning engine. You have no carbon buildup, there is very little
hydrocarbons deposited in your oil, so bearing wear is reduced, and your
plugs stay cleaner. I have seen this on a couple of engines that we tore
apart for examination.
If the engine is converted and maintained properly it should last 300,000
miles or more. I know of several fleets in the oil fields that I have done
training that have trucks plenty of miles on them. They eventually retire
them because of rust, tranny problems, or whatever. And a high percentage of
these trucks are FORDS, that's why I bought mine.

BUT do keep in mind that the color is not the important factor when
considering used motor oil, I would consider black oil with plenty of
viscosity a far better condition to have than brown oil with very little
viscosity. That alone is a whole topic on its own, sure to get some feedback
from more knowledgable members on this list.

Do I recommend converting a truck to LPG (in the USA at least)?
The answer is NO unless you have extra money to buy a fuel that will cost
you more than gasoline , plus the difficulty of finding someone who would do
a good quality job. Don't do it if your truck has more than more than 50,000
miles either, do it right after it has been broken in.
I just happen to get a deal from the local propane shops that I can't refuse
because I provide them with technical help on a regular basis and I need to
keep my truck for several years when I drive a lot of miles.

Yes your engine efficiency drops by about 10% (translate that in a drop of
mileage), but performance is there. I can attest by the citation for
"exhibition of speed" provided by officer Obby, no I am not proud of what I
did, but I am proud of what the truck was able to do using LPG.
If the conversion is done right, then there is no significant difference
noted by the seat of the pants dyno test.

You also wrote;

My question is, could the EGR or some other pollution device be
causing the
problem? Since my engine is a 1986, its a plumbers nightmare.
Hoses and
tubes going everywhere. Since I didnt touch this stuff during the
rebuild,
Im hoping this might be where my problem is. Any ideas?

This is not likely to happen, because if the engine runs good, fuel
consumption is where you expect it to be then everything is probably working
okay. Is your Check Engine light on? On the issue of plumbers nightmare, add
a propane conversion for even more plumbing!

What would be the process for the Dana Rearend? I'm a little concerned with this one, because it opens from the front.

Ed Saunders 86 F-150 302

Brent McNabb wrote:

> On Wed, 4 Aug 1999 10:17:31 -0700, Mark Ponsford wrote:
>
> >I've played around with 9" rearends before and the axles just pull out once
> >you remove the four bolts on the backing plate. From what I've gathered
> >from surfing the net, it ain't so easy with the 8.8 rearend. There is
> >supposedly a c-clip holding each axle in. Is this true? I've also read that
> >the wheel bearings on the 8.8 ride on the axle itself.
>
> On the 8.8"s, there is a c-clip holding in each axle shaft. You have to break the pumpkin open, remove bolt that retains a large metal pin inbetween the axle shaft ends, remove the pin, and then, push the axle
> towards the center of the vehicle, and remove the c-clip. The bearing and seal are held in the axle housing, the axle slides right out after the c-clip removal. I used a slide hammer puller to remove both the seal and
> the bearing, and then used a 34mm socket to drive in the new bearing and seal. Slide the axle back in, replace the c-clip, pull the axle back towards the outside of the vehicle, to seat the c-clip, replace the retaining
> pin, and usually a new retaining pin bolt with Loctite on the threads. Some axles don't require this, mine had a small six-point head, and required replacement per the shop manual. I've found that NAPA carries a bolt
> for a GM rear end that fits, and comes pre-covered with Loctite. Re-seal the cover with blue silicone, refill pumpkin. I've done it twice now, its that difficult, just rather messy because of the gear oil.
>
> == FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

I just got a car trailer to be pulled by my 1990 Ford Areostar. Would anyone know of a source for connections to the lights connections provided by the Areostar? The trailer already has lights, but I have to find the right connections.

Thanks
Sam

Join 18 million Eudora users by signing up for a free Eudora Web-Mail account at http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.eudoramail.com
== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

Dennis, If your spark is good and strong, and timing is set correctly and
advances as per specs, PCV O.K., and you have no EECIV computer
codes......you'd better take a look at your carburetor. Mixture settings,
power valve, choke, float settings, etc..... Walt

any good auto parts store or even Pep Boys or Auto Zone should have a
connector that fits between the clip for the original harnessin the rear of
the truck for the lights. thus requires no splicing and is weather tight..
come to think of it ive even seen them in K Mart and Walmart
Bob
ROlson1039 aol.com
== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

> Gang,
> I know that Truckin' Magazine puts out a Ford truck specific magazine once a
> year. I am an avid mag subscriber ( currently get 10 subscriptions a month)
> and I have yet to see or hear of any other magazine catering just to us. I
> have checked with McMullen/Argus, PRIMEDIA (which just bought McMullen/Argus)
> and several others to try and track one down...no luck. Hope we can spur
> someone into making one. Maybe you entrepreneurs can contact Gary Pratt who
> writes the Ford Folio articles in Truckin. He would be a prime candidate for
> magazine running info. I believe his email address is Folio4ever aol.com.
> Lets get this rolling!!!!
> Later
> Wayne Foy
> '94 Flareside SC
> Wayne's Page
> == FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

Thanks for your input. Ask around and see if any of your buddies say the same thing and let
me know. I will need support to do this.

Thanks, Cliff McLarty

William Berninghausen wrote:

> Cliff McLarty wrote:
> > I am doing some market research within the Ford community.
> >
> > I have yet to find a magazine on the market that is specifically for
> > Ford trucks? (like Chevy Truck Magazine) Has anyone seen one? If so,
> > where and who published it? If not, would any of you have any interest
> > in one?
> >
> > I am an entrepreneur and looking for other "Ford Enthusiasts" who are
> > also entrepreneurs to look into this project. Kenneth, what about you?
> > If interested e-mail me at dadinc icu2.net.
> >
> > == FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html
> %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%5
>
> Heck yes we need a magazine! To cover the whole picture of Ford trucks, we
> have four discussion lists, a club, and an extensive web site with links to
> many more. I wonder if the whole Internet FTE picture can be hooked to a
> magazine, the way Yahoo is? And the charter subscription gift can be a Calvin
> decal with an assortment of logos to p#*s on.
>
> Bill in Portland
>
> ____________________________________________________________________
> Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://webmail.netscape.com.
> =FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

If you can think of the name or find a copy, I would be willing to pay for you
to send it to me. The mag. might be the "once a year" Truckin special
publication. Let me know.

Thanks for your reply,

Cliff McLarty

Flare8392 aol.com wrote:

> I have seen a Ford Truck specific magazine. I don't know the name or who its
> published by and I have not seen it at any local newstands.But there
> definitely is one.
>
> TJ
> == FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

Perhaps it's a frozen or sticking thermostat? When was it replaced last?
If you can't recall, it might be wise to replace it as a preventive measure,
as they are not expensive, but very important. Another thing to check is
the percentage of anti-freeze in your radiator... although anti-freeze also
raises the boiling point of water, too much anti-freeze can actually lower
it.

Well, that truck that I complain about so much is giving me
more trouble. Last
night I was just driving around town with just the regular
vent on, not the a/c.
The Temp gauge just shot up all of the sudden. I cranked
the heat on full, and
it just went up further. I pulled over for half an hour to
let it cool down,
and it was fine, just a little warm on the way home. I just
went out and
checked everything (oil, antifreeze, hoses, etc..) and it
all seems fine, but
when I started it, it really sounded bad till it came down
off step. It's due
for an oil change soon, but that shouldn't cause it. Any
ideas?

I too have seen the magazine, and having had a hard time relocating,
i'd believe it's a "once a year" thing. Something also
very Ford specific is the Power Stoke registry which publishes
quarterly. Very good articles in general.

try a web search for "trucking magazine" Try google.com, they have
an interesting search engine that's found some stuff other have not.

Cliff McLarty wrote:

> If you can think of the name or find a copy, I would be willing to pay for you
> to send it to me. The mag. might be the "once a year" Truckin special
> publication. Let me know.
>
> Thanks for your reply,
>
> Cliff McLarty
>
> Flare8392 aol.com wrote:
>
> > I have seen a Ford Truck specific magazine. I don't know the name or who its
> > published by and I have not seen it at any local newstands.But there
> > definitely is one.
> >
> > TJ
> > == FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html
>
> == FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

you have had alot of replies to your question. I'll add only a couple of
points: You will probably need a new differential pin and a new locking pin.
They both wear very badly. Also there is a reason the seals leaked. The most
probable cause is the axle pit and gaul in the bearing and seal area. DO NOT
reuse the axles if this is the case, everything will just leak again and real
soon. The 8.8 axles are spicer units and wear frequently. It is amost
imposible to find good used axle. New axles cost about $75 each. The axles
are different sizes for the left and right. Watch it the Mustang 8.8 is not
the same size as the truck.

I have done this job 5 or 6 times on older Fords. With the bearing
replacement the job takes about 3 hours. Also if you have a positrack rear
end make sure you use the slip modifier from Ford.
== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

There are severaal sources for the lights. Many auto parts stores carry plug
ins that plug into the standard connectors in the wiring harness.

You are going to pull a car on a car trailer with an Aerostar? I hope it is
all down hill. You need serious horsepower to pull a 3000 lb car and trailer.
== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

When this happens, you need to get into the habit of also looking at the
fuel guage at the same time. If it also jumped up from where it was a few
minutes before (gee, I could have sworn I only had a half a tank of gas!)
then you are not overheating... You are the victim of the poor design of
the Instrument Voltage Regulator (IVR) on the truck.

To confirm, a good thump with the heel of your hand on the dash pad with
your left hand will usually bring the guages back down to where they
belong. Replace the IVR with one from a junk yard (~$1) or learn to live
with it (as I do).

You can also make a solid state electronic equivalent to the IVR, if you
want. Design and parts list are floating around in the list.

At 19:04 04/08/99 +0100, you wrote:
>Well, that truck that I complain about so much is giving me more trouble.
Last
>night I was just driving around town with just the regular vent on, not
the a/c.
>The Temp gauge just shot up all of the sudden. I cranked the heat on
full, and
>it just went up further. I pulled over for half an hour to let it cool down,
>and it was fine, just a little warm on the way home. I just went out and
>checked everything (oil, antifreeze, hoses, etc..) and it all seems fine, but
>when I started it, it really sounded bad till it came down off step. It's
due
>for an oil change soon, but that shouldn't cause it. Any ideas?
>
>
>== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html
>
Jim Cannon
Houston, TX
'29 Ford Model A Phaeton '63 Buick Riviera 401 V-8
'80 Ford F-150 300 I-6 2WD
== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

I was wondering what gas mileage the two motors average. I will be
getting a short box 4x4 with standard tires and automatic. More than
likely it will be early 80's so no fuel injection. But if you have
numbers on fuel injected too that would be great.
One other question is what is the model of the automatic transmission
for a smaller motor on an older truck such as early 80's? They started
using the 4AOD in 87 right?
Thanks for the info.
Kyle
_____________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?

At 20:03 04/08/99 -0700, you wrote:
>
> I was wondering what gas mileage the two motors average. I will be
>getting a short box 4x4 with standard tires and automatic. More than
>likely it will be early 80's so no fuel injection. But if you have
>numbers on fuel injected too that would be great.

My 1980 I-6 with automatic averages 12 city 16 highway. It has a simple 1
bbl carb and all stock exhaust and air filter system. All emmissions
controls are there and working (AFAIK). FWIW, the EPA mileage estimate
printed on the factory invoice when the truck was new was 18 mpg. I have
never seen 18 mpg.

> One other question is what is the model of the automatic transmission
>for a smaller motor on an older truck such as early 80's? They started
>using the 4AOD in 87 right?

My 1980 has the C-6 automatic, which I have had before in other vehicles
and I *really* like it. Since mine is the smallest engine offered at the
time, I suppose all larger engines also came with the C-6.

Cliff McLarty >>
Oh and one more thing I forgot to mention...he is an AVID supporter of FTE.
He has mentioned the website in his article a few times. Mention that you are
on the 80-96 list and he may be a little more talkative.
Later
Wayne Foy
'94 Flareside SC
Wayne's Page
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I had my 1996 ford explorer v8 awd dropped off at the local goodyear shop
to have the oil changed and alignment checked because i was heading out the
following day on a long 900mile trip ...The truck didn't have a pull or had
any sign of wear on the tires but its free so i figured what the hell why not
have it checked ...well to make a long story short i picked up the truck 3
hours later which concerned me that it took so long and they said it was off
a bit nothing to big but we did it anyway don't worry its covered under
warranty of the last alignment you had done...so i took off and WOW i had a
pull that you wouldn't believe all you had to do to change lanes two at a
time was let go of the wheel and put your blinker on...I couldn't go back to
show them cause i had an important place to be at.. so the following day i
had another shop check it out and they said whoa is it way off so they tried
to realign it but guess what they couldn't they said someone over turned the
bolt and its won't go all the way to its full adjustment so now i have to
have the dealer do some kinda shim work so moral of the story is bring it to
the dealer for the tricky stuff.............ding
== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

its your tstat i bet it has gone bad. follow you upper radiator hose to the
motor and at the end is your tstat housin take the two bolts off and some
hoses and get you a new one try a 180 degree tstat it will up the horse

> I had my 1996 ford explorer v8 awd dropped off at the local goodyear
shop

That's all you had to say - Goodyear.
They and firestone will f**k up your truck faster than a wino sucks a bottle
dry.
But they aren't alone, my truck threw the power steering belt today, it was
chewed up.
Looks like two weeks ago when they serviced it they rolled the belt off
using a screwdriver, without loosening the pulley. Broke the cords in it.
I'm not goin back there unless I have to.
So watch those monkeys!

SPECTRE

> to have the oil changed and alignment checked because i was heading out
the
> following day on a long 900mile trip ...The truck didn't have a pull or
had
> any sign of wear on the tires but its free so i figured what the hell why
not
> have it checked ...well to make a long story short i picked up the truck 3
> hours later which concerned me that it took so long and they said it was
off
> a bit nothing to big but we did it anyway don't worry its covered under
> warranty of the last alignment you had done...so i took off and WOW i had
a
> pull that you wouldn't believe all you had to do to change lanes two at a
> time was let go of the wheel and put your blinker on...I couldn't go back
to
> show them cause i had an important place to be at.. so the following day i
> had another shop check it out and they said whoa is it way off so they
tried
> to realign it but guess what they couldn't they said someone over turned
the
> bolt and its won't go all the way to its full adjustment so now i have to
> have the dealer do some kinda shim work so moral of the story is bring it
to
> the dealer for the tricky stuff.............ding
> == FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html
>

: If you really want to keep the oil cleaner looking even after 3000-4000
: miles so that it is brown in color instead of solid black, do what I do
and
: burn LPG (propane) just about 100% of the time.

If you use LPG only, the oil comes out a deep honey like colour, and still
quite viscose, infact that little bit you spill on the chassis, changing
the oil filter? Well it don't wipe off easily - the only way to clean up
properly is with degreaser, just like a new oil spill. - Or did I change
the oil too soon? In fact it seems a terrible waste just to throw it out...
I wonder if I'm game to run it through another petrol engine. Maybe
repackage and donate it to that mongrel next door with the bench top racing
datsun, and see what happens......Hmmm

You have no carbon buildup, there is very little
: hydrocarbons deposited in your oil, so bearing wear is reduced, and your
: plugs stay cleaner. I have seen this on a couple of engines that we tore
: apart for examination.

Amazing but true !! And no Carby/Fuel injection/fuel pump/fuel line/fuel
tank(s)/fuel block/emission control/lumpy idle/off idle/midrange flat spot/
fuel gauge problems. It doesn't even have a choke. The LPG mixer makes an
SU Carby look hi-teck ! So boring - I feel I'm missing out. I do remove
the rocker covers once a fortnight, and polish the insides, just for
something to do............. yeah sure!!

: They eventually retire
: them because of rust, tranny problems, or whatever. And a high percentage
of
: these trucks are FORDS, that's why I bought mine.
:
: Do I recommend converting a truck to LPG (in the USA at least)?
: The answer is NO unless you have extra money to buy a fuel that will
cost
: you more than gasoline

Not on your oil co. prices - no way. That's a hell of a price to pay for
clean oil. BUT if you take notice of the number of fuel related problems,
like I do - listed on FTE, particularly carby models, maybe, just
maybe...... it's not so silly after all.

:
: Yes your engine efficiency drops by about 10% (translate that in a drop
of
: mileage), but performance is there. I can attest by the citation for
: "exhibition of speed" provided by officer Obby

But an increase in bottom end torque - where, I feel it counts in a truck,
especially at traffic light G.P.'s, ....they just don't expect it.
:
: You also wrote;....

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